NEWS

Atiku goes for Obasanjo’s handshake at an event in Abuja.
Even before he gets a possible PDP nomination for 2019 presidential race, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s bid has already hit some heavy bumps and storms.
His former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo said Atiku should never count on him to support his latest bid to actualise his life-long ambition of being elected the president of Nigeria.
In an interview with Premium Times, Obasanjo swore he will never support Atiku and the doctor of theology also invoked God to buttress his position:
“How can I be on the same side with Atiku?” Mr Obasanjo asked. “To do what?”
“If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support,” he added.
Obasanjo’s

Senate President Bukola Saraki and other former All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmakers who recently defected to the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Patty (PDP) have been called upon to immediately vacate their seat for reportedly breaching the 1999 constitution.
Already, the Federal Attorney General and the Attorneys General of the States have been urged to set in motion the appropriate mechanism vide law suits to unseat the erring Federal and State Legislators in a bid to deepening the nation's democratic values and culture.
A human right lawyer, Oghenejabor Ikimi who made the call in a press release on Friday in Warri, Delta state obtained by BigPen Online, said that Saraki and other federal and state lawmakers erred in law with their defection from the political party t...

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 21st African Senior Athletics Championships, tagged "Asaba 2018" has reacted to media report that a head tank at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta state collapsed during the ongoing event.
The media department of the LOC on Friday says the "report on some news platform about a falling fence near the swimming pool area at the Stephen Keshi Stadium was sensational".
According to Olukayode Thomas, the Head of Media and Publicity for the CAA Asaba 2018, who signed a statement in reaction to the story, faulted the way the incidence was reported, saying it gives a wrong perception of what actually happened.
“It is unfortunate to see journalists deliberately chose not to be professional in their work. The area in question is far away

One thing that the Netherlands-based activist-turned-politician, Comrade Sunny Ofehe, in relations with his governorship ambition has strongly canvassed for is that the All Progressive Congress (APC) should allow a level playing field for all of its aspirants.
Ofehe, an Isoko Chief from Iyede Kingdom, had over time expressed his unshaken position that APC should not tow the path of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that's relying on the gentlemanly zoning/rotation agreement between the three Senatorial District (3SDs) that make up the state.
The agreement, they claimed brought former governor, Chief James Ibori who contested against Chief Moses Kragha of All Peoples Party (APP), an Urhobo to power in 1999. After beating Prof. Sam Oyovbarie, who was advised to tag along in the new

As politicians realign ahead of the 2019 general elections, feelers reaching THEWILL barring any last minute changes, indicate that Senator Godswill Akpabio, a stalwart of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Senate Minority Leader will defect from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Also on the list of likely defectors from the PDP to the APC are Governors –Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).
Two senior members of the government with knowledge of the development, who asked to remain anonymous, told THEWILL that talks have been ongoing to receive the defectors into the APC, which recently lost three governors – Sokoto, Kwara and Benue – as well as at least 36 members of the House of Representatives

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has ordered an investigation into the remote and immediate cause of the collapse of a water tank at Stephen Keshi Stadium during the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships holding in Asaba, the state capital.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Charles Aniagwu, says the Governor has directed a panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the collapse of the tank behind the main bowl of the stadium.
The governor, the statement said described the incident as regrettable and thanked God that no life was lost.
He expressed concern that the water tank collapsed during the competition, saying the circumstances surrounding the collapse would be unravaled.
Governor Okowa also emphasised that discilp...

A giant water tank at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta state has collapsed during the ongoing 21st African Senior Athletics Championships, tagged "Asaba 2018".
The facility which collapsed left several vehicles and wall fence damaged.
The incident, BigPen Online learnt caused panic among the athletes and spectators as the game was going on.
Senior Delta Government officials were busy at the stadium when the incident happened, but an eyewitness said no one was injured in the collapse.
An official of the State Sports Commission, Asaba, who craved anonymity confirmed the incident saying it could be a fallout of shoddy job at the stadium to meet the August target.
"All construction carried out in the stadium were done in a hurry so it could be a result of the rush wor...

Whoever gave Asaba the rights to host this year’s Africa Athletics Championships must see a doctor.
Organisers at the Delta State city have conjured up an excellent manual of how not to host an international competition by throwing into motion a horrendous protocol and hospitality programme for arriving athletes, officials and media.
Scenes of hundreds of athletes stranded at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, awaiting special charters to Asaba, some 500 kilometres away, have been the worst ever advertisement for African athletics.
Clearly, despite having the resources, Asaba wasn’t ready for these championships, with freshly laid tarmac at the Asaba Airport, construction trucks, graders with engines still hot coupled with fresh paint on Asaba city pavements

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar has denied reports that he has defected from the ruling All Progressive Congress to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Abubakar's denial followed widespread report in the social media that he had dumped the APC for PDP.
The deputy governor spoke in a statement Wednesday night signed by Abdulwahab Said Ahmad.
The statement read in full:
"The attention of the office of His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar MFR. Dsc. has been drawn to a story circulating in the social media to the effect that H.E. has defected from APC to PDP. It is important to inform all H.E.'s supporters, well-wishers, Associates and the General Public that such a very important decision is not taken on

The National Working Committee (NWC), of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the appointment of Mr Yekini Nabena as Acting National Publicity of the party.
The appointment followed the resignation of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi who recently defected to the PDP.
In a letter of appointment signed by the National Secretary of the APC, Hon.Mai Mala Buni, addressed to Yekini Nabena, it said: “ I write to convey the resolution of the National Working Committee reached at its 34th Regular Meeting of 1st August, 2018, mandating you to resume duty as the Acting National Publicity Secretary with immediate effect.
“This development is sequel to the resignation from the party by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as the National Publicity Secreta